Tamil Nadu’s ruling party, the DMK, claims to be the flag-bearer of Periyar’s Self-Respect Movement and ‘Dravidar Kazhagham’, which opposed the inequities of the caste system and promoted Dravidian identity. Unfortunately, however, by seeking to deny states with larger populations a higher representation in Parliament, the DMK is being casteist in that it wishes to ‘freeze’ the advantage it enjoys at present in perpetuity.
It is true that the comparatively lower population growth in the states of the south is the result of better governance, higher literacy rates and economic development. What the actual situation is can only become known if the delayed census takes place. It may well be that even the traditional BIMARU states have also done reasonably well in lowering population growth. In fact, if examined on the basis of caste and community, the exact social pattern of this growth would also become known. There are historical reasons for the comparative ‘backwardness’ of these states, one of which has been the similar narrow-minded pursuit of self-interest by caste groupings that afflicts the DMK. In this context, it must be noted that the higher development parameters in Tamil Nadu are despite DMK style governance, rather than because of it.
It is possible that, due to narrow-minded politics, the essence of the constitution, which considers the individual the unit of democracy rather than groupings of any sort, may be undermined by other political parties in the South by aligning with the DMK’s cause. These include parties with a national footprint, such as the Congress and the Left.
It is necessary to understand that the powers states enjoy to govern according to local requirements and priorities are quite enough for the kind of autonomy that is being sought. However, there are limits to how much benefit can accrue from this if the nation as a whole does not develop at the required pace. Those who dream of a separate Tamil nation should only look at the state Pakistan and Bangladesh are in because of a nationhood built upon narrow principles of race and religion.
And it is not just Tamil Nadu that is worried about the impact of delimitation. There is concern even in Uttarakhand about how the hill areas that have suffered large-scale migration would be impacted. Overall, however, the number of seats would only increase, even if the share percentage would reduce. It may be noted in this context that even a small nation like Britain has more MPs in the lower house (650) than India (545). How fair and representative is that?
